


i thought that i was yours forever(maybe i was mistaken)

by rhydianblank



Series: i cannot seem to operate (and you my love are gone) [1]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dialogue Heavy, M/M, Nealer acts like an adult and helps Ryan through feelings, Post-Trade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-14 19:23:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5755279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhydianblank/pseuds/rhydianblank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James smiles at him and says, "Let's go to lunch yeah?" Ryan didn't want to go to lunch, Ryan wanted his boyfriend to actually text him back, but he knew that he needed to become closer with his new team and agreed to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i thought that i was yours forever(maybe i was mistaken)

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Fireside by the Arctic Monkeys. I was feelin sad about Ryan's trade and this happened instead of me studying for finals.

On Ryan's first day as a Nashville Predator Cam stops talking to him. Ryan sent Cam their usual morning text and all he got was the seen check mark and a pit of worry settling in his stomach. He continued to text Cam about anything that came to his head, besides the trade. It continued in like that all day.

His first practice went well and when he checked his phone in the locker room he couldn't help frowning at his phone when he saw that Cam still hadn't texted him back. James Neal apparently noticed the shift in his attitude and came over to talk to Ryan.

"It'll get easier kid," Ryan had no idea what he was talking about but continued to nod anyways. "If you ever need anything just ask."

"Yeah man that'd be great." Ryan was still looking at his phone.

"Maybe you should give him a few days." Ryan looked up at that and saw a sympathetic look on James face. He remembered that James had been traded to the team too, and that it was an unexpected trade unlike Ryan's, he could see why James looked sympathetic.

James smiles at him and says, "Let's go to lunch yeah?" Ryan didn't want to go to lunch, Ryan wanted his boyfriend to actually text him back, but he knew that he needed to become closer with his new team and agreed to go.

"Okay. I have to finish getting ready, how about we meet in 20 minutes?" James asked and when Ryan nodded consent James smiled and walked back to his locker.

After 20 minutes and both having a shower they met at James  car. The drive was filled with James chattering about the team and how excited he is to have another forward. When they pulled up to the restaurant, which turned out to be an ihop, James looked over and said," Still no texts from your boy?"

Ryan was taken aback by the fact that James had noticed him clutching his phone the entire ride. Every few minutes he would check for notifications but they weren't there.  
"It's not like that."

"You don't have to lie to me about it or hide it."

"Can we talk after pancakes?" James nodded and they headed inside the IHOP.

"So, your boy is that Atkinson kid right?" James asked while they waited for a the wait staff.

"Cams not a kid. He's 26."

"So it is him."

Ryan thought it'd be dumb to deny it at this point. "Yeah it's him."

"I'm sorry." James looks likes he means it. The wait staff finally comes by and they order an alarming amount of pancakes but the wait staff seemed unfazed by having two full grown men order enough pancakes to feed a small army. They are silent until the waiter drops off their meals of short stacks and water.

"When I was traded to the Preds, Paulie didnt talk to me until he was traded too." James starts. He looks down at his glass of water,"We were engaged."

Ryan looks up in shock from where he was staring and says "What." He's not shocked it was Paul Martin, everyone knew about that but the engagement part was an entirely new concept.

"Yeah. He proposed to me a month before the trade and then when it happened he stopped talking to me until last year." James smiles but it looks more from pain than anything.

"You were traded over a year ago though." Ryan started to worry that Cam would do the same.

"Yeah." James nodded, looking when more melancholy than before. "It really hurt."

"When did he start talking to you again?" Ryan started eat his food to do something with his hands.

"He called me the day he was traded. He asked me to forgive him for being dumb."

James face started to brighten up a bit, so Ryan felt comfortable enough to ask, "Did you forgive him?"

James nods and smiles and responds, "Of course I did."

Ryan doesn't understand how James could just forgive Martin like that. If it happened to him, well since it is happening to him, he would be livid for a little while longer, "Why?"

James laughs and Ryan can see the hurt still there in James eyes, "Cause I'm in love with him," James starts and Ryan notice that he begins to rub his left ring finger,"Have been for years. I wouldn't give him up like that."

"Oh."

James shakes his head a bit and seems to backtrack,"Not that your boy would last as long as my old man did. You're both to young to stay away from each other for long."

Ryan shrugs," I don't think our age has anything to do with Cam not talking to me."

"He's not angry at you, he's just disappointed that you left." James looks like he's reconciling a young child and Ryan becomes slightly annoyed at the thought of being coddled.

"I know," Ryan starts. He eats more pancake and slumps back into his seat before beginning again, "It's just that, he knew I was going to be traded and when I got the call he seemed so distant."

"Was he with you when you got the call?" Ryan nods. "I'm sorry kid."

"Not much I can do about it now, ya know?" James nods. They eat in silence for a few more minutes. Ryan thinks about giving Cam space instead of what he has been doing. Ryan knows that it's going to hurt but if Cam doesn't want to talk to him there's not a lot Ryan can do to change his mind, "Maybe I should give him space."

A look flashes across James face that is almost unreadable. "I think you'll end up hurting yourself more if you cut off all ties to him."

"How do you know?" Ryan was already getting tired of people assuming what he'd feel.

"When Paulie stopped talking to me, I was really angry. We played the Pens and I saw him on the ice and he just ignored me. I gave up trying to get him to talk to me and it really hurt," James looks at Ryan and shrugs, "but I don't know you that well. You might be able to deal with it but it's going to be a pain for a really long time if you cut off all ties."

Ryan nods in understanding. James phone lights up for a moment and he says, "Well, might as well finish here and go take a nap. We gotta be ready for the game tonight. You gonna be good?"

Ryan shrugs. He doesn't know how he'll be but he knows he'll feel better after thinking things over. "Gotta stay focused on hockey, right?"

James nods and waves over their waiter to pay. "Some things are more important than hockey, Ryan."

Ryan nods in understanding. He spends the next month waiting for Cam to text or call or email or show up but Cam just doesn't. It's radio silence for a month and Ryan doesn't give up on Cam. He misses him but he also mosses the hockey he played with him. Ryan plays well but he doesn't play happy.

Until, Ryan gets a phone call at 2 in the morning. He doesn't check caller ID, just picks up the phone and mumbles out, "What James."

What Ryan is expecting is James asking him another dumb question, what he isn't expecting is Cams small voice saying, "Not James."

Any anger Ryan was expecting to have when Cam called goes straight out the window as Ryan shoots up from his pillows. "Cam?" Ryan asks, shocked and hopeful.

"Yeah. Hi." Cams voice still sounds small.

"You. You finally called me." Ryan realizes he stutters out his response a bit but he doesn't care. Cam called. Finally.

"Yeah. I'm calling you. I had something to ask." Ryan becomes instantly worried.

"Okay. What's happening?"

"I'm being traded," Cam pauses. Ryan doesn't want to get his hopes up, but he can't help wanting it to be to Nashville. "I'm being traded to the Predators. They were going to do it when they traded you but there was an issue with the contracts." Ryan lets out a breath he didnt know he was holding.

"Are you serious?" Ryans voice comes out quieter than he intended.

"I know you're probably angry I haven't talked to you but I wasn't allowed to tell anyone." Cam says in a rush.

"I'm not angry with you. I just missed you. A lot."

"I missed you too. I was wondering if, well, if I can move in with you when I get there?" Ryan thinks he's never felt more happy.

"Like I'd let you stay anywhere else." Cam laughs and Ryan finally feels like everything is right again.

**Author's Note:**

> I realize that the probability of Cam also being traded is highly unlikely but look what happened with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. There will be a part two about James and Paulie.


End file.
